The future of smart TV has landed – LG webOS

LG´s new webOS smart TV platform promises to simplify smart TV - here´s why it lives up to the hype...

The world of smart TV has a new kid on the block, one that
promises to be simple to set up, easy to use and good for flitting
between programmes and apps.

LG racked up headlines at the International CES tech show in
January with webOS - a smart TV platform designed to keep things
simple.

Reviewers have now got their hands on the first TVs to run it.
We spoke to Tom Parsons, Stuff magazine TV expert, to find out
whether it keeps its promise.

What is smart TV?

A smart TV is a TV that connects to the web so you can watch
catch-up TV such as iPlayer and ITV Player and stream movies and TV
shows from apps such as Netflix. You can also chat on Skype and
browse the web.

What is webOS?

WebOS is a new approach to smart TV software. LG bought webOS
from HP last year. You may remember it from the Palm Pre
smartphone. However it has since been transformed into a smart TV
platform.

(Credit: LG)

The main benefits of webOS - in brief

Easy to set up and navigate

Find the content you want fast - reduces number of steps to
switch between content

Pause one programme for another then pick up the first one in
the same place you left it

Collates day's best content across live TV, Sky, apps and
on-demand in one place

Is webOS easy to use?

The webOS platform is designed to "make TV simple again". It
does this primarily by allowing you to access the content you want
faster, with less fuss.

It's designed to significantly reduce the number steps it takes
to between your content options.

Tom at Stuff said: "It's definitely easier and quicker to use
than the old OS, partly because it's been designed from the off to
work with the motion-sensing Magic Remote, and partly because it's
a purpose-built, optimised OS, rather than simple a menu of
disparate apps, menus and features."

What are those colourful rectangles?

The home screen of webOS is made up of colourful vertical
rectangles. Each of these represents one of your apps. The apps you
use most are shifted toward the left of the screen - whether that's
Netflix, YouTube, iPlayer or live TV listings.

On previous generations of smart TVs these have been laid out in
a less-uniform way, sporadically dotted across the screen.

Tom at Stuff explains: "The colour makes them pretty quick to
distinguish from one another, and the size and shape of them makes
them easy to click on using the
Magic Remote.
"They can be very easily reordered, too. It's a very simple and
bold system, but it's that that should make it easy, quick and
instinctive to use in the long run."

Switching between content is simple

One of the main features of webOS is its ability to run multiple
apps at the same time. You can access the Launcher menu by pressing
the home button, and search for programmes while watching something
else, for example.

This means you can go from watching Breaking Bad on Netflix to
checking out the iPlayer in just two clicks - and then pick up
Breaking Bad again from the same place you left it.

Tom explains: "No matter what you're running you can bring up
the pop-up menu and switch to something else. The app you navigated
away from pauses (if it has a pause feature) so that you can return
where you left off.
"This is session-based, so when you put the TV on standby the apps
you had open will all close."

The Today feature - puts all your content in one
place

Ever stuck for something to watch? The Today feature picks the
best of the day's TV and on-demand services and presents them on
your home screen.
This could include a show from BBC or ITV primetime, something
being broadcast on Netflix for the first time or a new film
available on Sky.

Tom said the feature "brings in content from your TV tuner, PVR
(
set top boxes) and on-demand services and puts it all in one
place".

He explains: "It's a feature that brings back the notion
of browsing and discovering something to watch that you hadn't
thought of. On most TVs you'd have to look through a massive TV EPG
(electronic programme guide) and open a bunch of different
apps."

WebOS - easy to use, easy to set-up

Ever struggled to set up a new TV? WebOS has the Bean Bird
cartoon character to make it as easy as apple pie. Bean Bird gives
you a crash course in the Magic Remote, and walks you through set
up with simple on-screen instructions.

Tom says the Bean Bird is more than just a "cute cartoon".

He explains: "He talks you through the process of connecting
your components, web connection and TV service in a way that's
pretty much foolproof. It automatically detects all of the devices
you've got connected, and in most cases will even control them via
the Magic Remote.

"Picture settings can be adjusted with an easy Picture Wizard,
too. Those with complicated systems will have a slightly more
convoluted setup process, but those guys (I'm one of them) sort of
enjoy that anyway!"